Proud to be a Sheep
Act II: Chapter 2
We got in the van Chief Donald was in, and as Echo was making his report, I noticed how Chief Donald's nice old grandpa look, the one you'd always look forward to meeting on holidays and would always hand you a gift, now turned into a more sullen, pained look. Across from me was a lifeless man, smiling, eyes so hollow it looked like a void. Reminds me of myself before my death.
Echo told Donald about my new pen. How I used it to not only save them, but also capture Tago. Donald smiled at me, as if he was saying a Thank you in silence. Then, he told me I would likely have to meet their researchers since the pen technically wasn't mine and they'd need to make sure they can trust the wielder. I obliged, nervous, yes, but at the same time, I wanted to see their base.
Much like Echo's reaction to my approval of the pen, Donald seemed happy. He congratulated me through his lifeless eyes. I thanked him, but instead of feeling appreciative, I was more so focused on his condition.
"Hey… Are you okay?" I asked softly, arching my eyebrows.
"Yeah, just trying to get over the losses."
Losses, huh? So Jin wasn't the only death. Considering his condition, I guess the other death must be Jaime.
"I think my fighting days are over. After we drop you off in the motel, I'm headed straight home. Give Tan my regards when you meet him." Tired, defeated, worn out, this mad sounds like he just lost his whole reason to live. Did Officer Jaime mean that much to him? Or is there more to his sadness?
Either way, we (Me and Echo) silently nodded at his request as he fell asleep, leaning back on the window.
It was a long ride back. Luckily, Echo was still awake to answer my questions. Since we were headed to the city, I figured it'd be best if I asked about the current world, its status, the place we're headed, and other general questions I might need to blend in better. I can't allow them to find me either stupid or useless… Or both, which I think I am.
I was excited. But nervous at the same time.
Echo already told me about this world's history, and how it came to be. Now he's telling me how the world is.
"We are mercs," he said. Most of them were slaves, selected through a process of severe torture they called Purgatory. Those who made it out became on of the seven Kings' knights; those who didn't either died or went back to being a slave. Echo and Tan were a product of Purgatory, and they became a knight under the King of Lust. Tan was especially adored by the King of Lust, Echo said. Very creepily, might I add, he held the 'a' and added emphasis on the 'd', making it "aaaaDhored."
That was disgusting…
He continued on, saying how they were getting used, harassed, and, all in all, just abused. So Tan, along with the knights, banded together and fought for their freedom. They only got as far as running away with a few deceased and several injured, but apparently, they think that the King of Lust only let them run away, saying, "They'll come crawling right back to him."
I asked him about these "Kings," and Echo said they're the "peak" of the Carmut Serum intakers. Almost God-like. Almost. The Kings claimed themselves to have lived long enough to be even better than some Gods. Stronger. Smarter. Deadlier. "The top of the human race," they claimed themselves to be, or rather, the top of their own race… The Carmuts.
I asked him what made each King special. He described some of them, saying that Pride is relentless. Although full of himself, the King of Pride never stops until he gets what he desires, not because of the desire to claim what he wants, but because of his hatred of losing. His confidence makes him think he could reach for more than what people think he could swallow, but he always does. He always wins. Either the man has a weapon that makes him unbeatable, or he works harder than Echo is giving him credit for.
Greed, much like pride, has endless desires. Her desire, however, tends to lean towards power. Unlike Pride who wants to win every battle, she doesn't mind losing a battle to win a war. She's a genius with a snake for a tongue. She's so cunning that half the population onced ranked her as the scariest of all Kings, but she also got voted as the best-looking by those very same voters… What a contrast.
They did say the devil doesn't come dressed in a red cape and pointy horns. He comes as everything you've ever wished for.
Echo just barely touched the surface of the rest of the Kings' special characteristics. Sloth being a smart kid, Envy being Pride's jealous wife, Gluttony being a fatass who taxes his people too much to buy food of his own, Wrath being a hot head who often argues with the Gods. And finally Lust. Which unlike the other Kings, he goes into full detail about.
"I served under him," he said, "both me and Tan were assigned to–"
"Wait wait wait wait wait… Him?" I replied, confused, concerned, and, most importantly, intrigued.
"Yeah? Him." So… The person who aaaaDhored Tan… Was a man… I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering the way Jin looked at hi–
"Anyways." Thanks for cutting off my thoughts, Echo. "We served as his knights. Tan was my leader even from back then. He was 25, and I was 16. Tan was highly favored. He was granted a high position thanks to his abilities, but we all knew the King wanted more from him than just his fighting abilities. He wanted Tan himself. Tan's son begged us to save him, but we were all too scared and weak. That is, until we all got fed up with being used for fights, raids, monster executions, and not even getting a bed to sleep on. Barely one meal a day, and what we got was always just bread and soup… And finally, the final push. We spotted Tan's son talking to the perverted King, probably trying to negotiate with him. But, thankfully, we managed to escape before anything was done to the boy. After escaping, we were then rescued by a squad from Ailbhe, the country where were headed."
"Mmm, I see," I replied, trying to feign interest as my true interest slipped out.
"My age…" I whispered as if saying it to myself.
"Your age? Are you 16? Certainly look too young to be 25." He laughed. "2024, huh? Listen, kid, it's already 721 AR, or After Revelations. As curious as I am about finding out how you managed to stay 16 for centuries, I don't want you getting taken from us. You'd be treated the same way we were, or worse, experimented on. So for now, we'll say we picked you up on the way, your parents and fellow refugees got killed in the hospital, and you managed to survive this far by living in the pantry." Damn, that's.. pretty close, actually…
"Say, do you think I lived for that long? Or did I get transported? Time travel or something like that." I actually think the latter is more likely.
"Maybe, either way, you're gonna get taken from us if they find out." That's true, and unless it's better to stay there (which I doubt), I won't be going anywhere. Right now, Echo's the safest to be with.
Time flew by quickly as Echo and I prepared a make-up cover story for my existence. I, Etsuko Nokori, 16 years old, was born under the King of Pride's land, and during the "Red Rising" incident in the city, my people left the city and our town, Roxas. We all tried our best to survive, rummaging through each building for possible food and water supplies, that is, until we reached MCM Hospital, ran into Tago, and got ourselves killed. Except for me, who ran and hid in the pantry.
Turns out the majority of the corpses in the hospital were actually people from Roxas. So it makes for a very convenient, and as far as I know, believable story. Donald and Echo are also both satisfied with our bullshit.
Regardless of how believable my story is, however, it's my delivery that matters most. God, how I wished for more of those yellow serums… No matter how perfect my plans are, they always collapse in the face of my own performance and shit acting. I always mess up when it matters most, at the most crucial moment.
I sighed at my incompetency and began writing a script, or rather, multiple scripts.